Promise Me You'll be there When I Get Back
by readandwrite4evernever20
Summary: Alyssa lives alone with her mother in a barren desert.She has no clue why her mother always kept her hidden, nor does she know who her father is.When Alyssa's mother leaves for a short trip, she returns to find her gone.Why is one teen so valuable?
1. Prologue

"Really, Mum, I'll be fine. I've been home alone before," Alyssa assured as she stood in the doorway of their tiny house. She gestured around her, pointing out the barren landscape around them. There was not a single living thing in sight for miles, other than the two, of course. "Besides, who's going to burglarize the house out here?"

Alyssa's mother frowned in concern. She absentmindedly reached to tuck a piece her daughter's flaming red hair behind her ear. "It's not the house I'm worried about," she replied.

Alyssa pulled her mother in for a tight hug. "Mum, go. Even if you won't tell me what you're going to do, I can tell it's important to you. I'll be waiting her when you get back. I promise." She flashed a reassuring smile so like her father's it nearly made her mother cry.

"Okay, Alyssa. But first you have to swear on something that matters."

Alyssa nodded. "I know, Mum. Fish fingers and custard."

After one more tearful embrace, Alyssa's mother stepped into her car and disappeared in a cloud of dust.


	2. Chapter 1  Gone

**A/N:Hello, Readers! I was on the fence whether or not to include Amy in the summary, as that's sort of a spoiler... but realized that since most of my past readers have a problem with OC's playing a vital role in the plot, they may choose not to read it if they didn't know the mother was Amy... yeah. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: **_**Yes**_**, I own Doctor Who. And I'm writing on FanFiction. Because **_**that**_** makes sooooo much sense.**

Chapter 1

_(three months ago, from Alyssa's POV)_

I watched my mother drive away. I had urged her to go, so why did I feel so abandoned? She'd come back, just like she always did. So why did this feel so... final? Like she knew she wouldn't see me for a long time. I sighed, pulled the torn screen door shut behind me, and sat down in a corner to write in my diary.

_August 8, 2017,_

_Today is my fourteenth birthday. Mum gave me a silver chain with a key hanging from it. I have no clue what the key is for, but it seemed important to her, so I'm sure it has some sentimental meaning. _

_ Mum's finally gone off on that trip she's been talking about for months. What she's looking for, she won't say. I think she's searching for Dad. I never met him. Whenever I ask, all I get in reply is, "He loves fish fingers and custard," or, "He's a madman with a box, that's what he is," and that's it. _

_ I've begun to wonder why Mum keeps me hidden all the time. I'm never allowed to drive to the nearest city for groceries, or even stay outside for more than a few fleeting moments. It's as if she thinks someone will try to steal me away all the way out here._

I heard a rumble outside and set down my pen and diary silently, listening for a moment. I slowly rose to my feet, sneaking towards the door to peak outside. There was nothing. Just as I turned to go back to my corner, I heard it again. Ever curious, I stepped outside to investigate. No sooner had I set foot on the sand than I was grabbed from behind.

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_(Amy's POV, present time)_

_Believed to be dead_. I read the newspaper article again, tears burning my cheeks as I did so. My only daughter, my beloved daughter, believed to be dead. I had been so _careful_. I had left the TARDIS, left Rory, as soon as I realized the truth: that I was carrying the Doctor's child, not Rory's. Rory, the nurse, would realize that the baby had two hearts, just like the Doctor. And his heart would break. I loved Rory, I really did. I always did feel bad for him, always in the shadow of the Doctor.

As much as I loved Rory, and the Doctor, I had to leave them. I did it _because_ I loved them. I did it because I loved the child that I had become the mother of: my Alyssa.

I had only arrived home two days ago. This paper, this horrid paper that claimed my daughter was believed to be dead, was left on my doorstep. Alyssa was gone.

The TARDIS whirred behind me, fading out of existence as I ran desperately towards it.

"DOOCCCTTTORRRR! GET BACK HERE! YOU CAN'T-" He was gone. My breath had been wasted. I collapsed into a sorry heap in the dust, my hair sticking to my wet face. "You can't leave me now..."


	3. Chapter 2 The Storm's Just Begun

**Disclaimer:I do not own.**

_(Alyssa's POV, present time)_

They tell me I am an alien, that I have no right to be on this planet. I've cried for so many days that the tears don't come any more. I'm not given enough water to waste on producing tears. Through the rumors I overhear and a quick glance at my file, I have been able to piece together a basic outline of why I'm here: I am supposedly a member of the Gallifreyan race, believed to be the daughter of some doctor. My father may have been a doctor; I honestly don't see why his occupation should have landed me in Area 51.

Everything around me is dark. They call it the perfect prison, I call it Hell; it's the same thing from my side of the bricks. They're about to place the last brick, completely sealing me off from the world around me. "Cowards!" I shout defiantly, "You grab me from behind, knock me out, and place me inside a cell, all so that I can never have a chance to fight back. You can't even see that I'm human! Do I _look_ like an alien to you?" The brick slides into place, bonding with its hundreds of brothers. I am trapped.

The only human being I don't hate at this moment is my Mum. My heart breaks each time I think of how she must feel, not knowing if I'm dead or alive.

I wait for a long time by myself, in this perfect prison. Then the key around my neck begins to burn the sensitive flesh beneath it. I'd remove it if my hands weren't tied behind my back. Fools. I'm sealed for the rest of my life within this cage they've built around me; why bother tying me to a chair?

The key is becoming unbearably hot now.

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(_Amy's POV, present time)_

He's gone. It's only fair, I suppose. I left him, now he leaves me. To this day I don't know whether he knows about Alyssa or not. He ran those pregnancy scans, though they never did give him a straight positive or negative. The TARDIS had been scanning for a human fetus, not a Time Lord one. If he doesn't know about her, he must think I left him because I didn't want him any more. If only that were true.

He didn't even bother to leave the confines of the TARDIS. I'm sure he saw me on the scanners. He knew that I was standing here, right outside the doors, desperately wanting to enter. And he left me.

If he does know about Alyssa, does he know she's been kidnapped? Does he know where she is, or at least trying to find her? It seems unlikely, but the Doctor is, in essence, unlikely. Besides, I need some fantasy to cling to right now.

I gave her my TARDIS key, for her birthday. I could see in her eyes that she didn't see the value of a plain, everyday-looking key. If only she knew that it unlocked the doors of a whole world.

I think back to that fateful day in America, when I, along with River and Rory, witnessed the Doctor's murder. River had said that there were many who would stop at nothing to obtain a single Time Lord cell. Surely a live, teenage Time Lord is a million times more valuable? I sometimes wish that all I had to worry about were _human_ kidnappers.

A piece of paper flutters about in the breeze, about where the TARDIS had been moments ago. I stiffly bend down to pick it up. Tears well in my eyes as I recognize the handwriting I'd know across the universe. _So sorry, Amy. I will be back soon, I promise. I had to answer a very important call._ I rip up the note, throw the bits into the sand, and angrily stomp on them. A call. He could've brought me along. it would've taken mere seconds to allow me into the TARDIS. Mere seconds. I've had enough of his promises to be back soon, as well.

Only this time, he really does come back in time. Several centimeters over and the TARDIS would crush me. The door swings open and his smiling face greets me like a sunny day in the midst of December. Neither of us have to say a word. He can see in my face that I need comfort, and he gives it willingly and fully. An awkward hug, that's all it is. But to me, it is so much more. It's the embrace of the man I love. It's relief from my depression. It's fourteen years of lonliness, gone. It's love, pure and simple.

When we finally pull apart, he brings me inside, and we're off. We're silent for a moment.

"I didn't want to leave you," I whisper, barley audible even to my own ears. But I know he hears it, because I know he's listening.

He looks at his feet, not quite sure what he should say. "I... I know... I _think_ I know..." he stumbles.

His eyes meet mine, demanding complete honesty. "Were you pregnant when you left? For sure?" he asks quietly.

I nod. "Yes."

"Did you give birth?"

"Yes."

He has one more question. I can see it in his wide eyes. I know what he's going to ask before it comes out of his mouth. "Is it... mine?"

The tears return. "Yeah. Alyssa. She's yours. Two hearts and everything. Doctor, she was born so weak, she almost didn't make it to her first birthday." We revert to hugging, and I cry into his tweed-clad shoulder. "Doctor, I left, just for a few days, to try and find Rory. I needed someone I could trust to help protect her. But I couldn't find him, and when I got back, she was... gone."

"How old is she?" he whispers.

"Just turned fourteen." Something occurs to me. "How long has it been for you?"

He hesitates, not sure if he should tell me. "Two months."

"I've waited fourteen years, and you pop in after two months?" I try to sound angry, but I can't. I'm too happy that he's here, holding me.

"It would appear so," he agrees.

"Can you find her? Alyssa?"

His face darkens. "That call that I had to answer... it was Torchwood. Jack found out that a Time Lord was being held in Area 51, America. Ah, memories. Back on subject, he actually thought it was me, in a future regeneration." His eyes briefly glittered with amusement. "He was glad to hear a male voice answer the phone, to say the least."

I sigh, slightly relieved now that we know where she is. The Doctor shakes his head.

"No, Amy, don't be relieved. The skies may seem calm, but the storm is nowhere near over."


	4. Chapter 3 Message

**Disclaimer: If I owned Doctor Who, would you be reading this? No. You'd be watching it on Saturday nights, probably with your Sci-fi loving buddies, and either crying or laughing through the entire episode. At least that's what I do...**

**BTW, did anybody else here cry hysterically during The Doctor's Wife? The TARDIS was portrayed brilliantly, in my opinion...**

_(Amy's POV, present time)_

The Doctor thinks he can track Alyssa's TARDIS key. At least that's what he says. As I watch him pound buttons and madly jiggle the zigzag plotter, the renewed sense of purpose in his eyes is unmistakeable. "Doctor?"

He doesn't face me, but I know I've got his attention. "Hmm?"

"Alyssa-is she at least safe in that place, right?"

He doesn't answer for a moment. "Well, if they use bricks of Dwarf star alloy, like they did for me, then not much can break in easily. That doesn't mean she's completely safe, though. Pretty much any alien race could get through if they tried hard and long enough."

I can barely take it anymore. "LOOK AT ME!" I shout. His head rotates so that he can see me. "Look at me," I repeat, softer, "when you are giving me bad news."

Our eyes meet, and I am pretty sure that he understands how much stress I am under, and why I snapped at him like that. He doesn't say another word, just nods.

"_D-d-doc-t-t-tor..._" a face and voice fade in and out on the TARDIS screen. The voice is too mottled by static to be recognizable, but the flash of red hair sets off sirens in my head. Alyssa. She's alive.

Her face comes into focus, and I can finally understand her words clearly. "_Doctor? Is this the Doctor_?"

"Alyssa! It's me, Mum! We're coming for you, stay right where you are!" I call out. When she doesn't even aknowledge me, the Doctor quickly explains that this is a recording.

Alyssa speaks again. "_Well, if it's not, I suppose this won't make any sense_..." she quickly glances over her shoulder, as if she is expecting someone to burst into the dark room around her any moment. "_Anyway, I'm seventeen now_." Tears are welling up in her eyes, and her voice begins to tremble slightly. "_I just wanted to say... goodbye. I don't know if I'll be able to make it out of this alive, or if I can regenerate like you. Either way then, you probably won't see me again, this way at least_."

My head is spinning. I begin to sway, and the Doctor offers himself up for support. I lean into him, more than I really have to.

"_Doctor_," she whispers, "_I don't want you to rescue me this time. It would alter several important events in time, so please, don't even try. I'm just asking you for one last favor_."

Her image blurs again, and it takes me a moment to realize that my own tears are the cause. The Doctor gently runs his hand across my shoulder, sympathy in his old green eyes.

"_Tell her I love her_."

"Doctor, we have to save her," I sob.

"_Tell her I am so sorry_." She begins to weep softly.

He shakes his head. "We can't," he mumbles, almost inaudibly.

"_Tell her..."_ she pauses to clear her throat and wipe the tears from her eyes. "_Tell her the truth_."

I look the Doctor square in the face, my emotions overriding my brain. "DOCTOR!" I hollered, "GO AND FLY YOUR STUPID BOX TO WHEREVER SHE IS! SHE'S YOUR BLOODY DAUGHTER TOO!"

He doesn't move. There's a quiet determination in his eyes as he stands there, arms held firmly at his sides. And he simply shakes his head. "I am sorry, Amy, I truly am. But I cannot interfere with set events in time."

"Unless there's children crying!" My anger melts into pleading. "Doctor, look at her! Look at your daughter! She's crying, she's scared! You _always_ interfere when there's children crying!" I sink to my knees.

"Not this time." A solitary tear rolls down his cheek and splashes onto the glass of the TARDIS floor. "Do you think I don't _want_ to save her?" he hisses, "Do you honestly believe that I wouldn't do everything in my power to save her, if it were possible to do so? Do you think I don't _love_ her?"

_"One more thing_," Alyssa informs us, now looking behind her rather than at the screen, "_I love you too, Dad."_ new determination seems to blaze through the Doctor.

A blue laser suddenly hits her square in the chest. A small gasp escapes from her lips, and she reels over backwards. The screen is overcome by static. I stare blankly at the screen for what feels like years, utterly in shock. My daughter, my only daughter, has just fallen dead. And there's nothing I can do about it.

The TARDIS jolts to the left, knocking me to the cold floor. The Doctor murmurs an apology, gripping a lever on the TARDIS controls with white knuckles. "What in bloody hell are you doing?" I shout, still in a heap on the floor.

A maniacal grin crosses his previously solemn features. "Re-writing time, Amy, re-writing time."


	5. Chapter 4 You're Safe, But Not Really

(Alyssa's POV, present time)

I wait in solitude, staring at the wall of darkness surrounding me. The key around my neck coninues to grow hotter, now burning me. Suddenly, a whooshing sound fills my cell, and I twist my head to peer over my shoulder. A blue police box begins to materialize, and the key cools down considerably. The door on the box flies open, and Mum rushes out. She unties me , and within minutes she has me entangled in a tight hug.

"You're alive," she breathes, as if she had been expecting differently.

"Yeah, I am," I agree, noticing for the first time the man standing awkwardly in the doorway. "Who's he?" I ask, then following up with the real question of the day, "How'd you get in here with that box?"

The man takes a step forward and straightens his bowtie self-consciously. "I'm the Doctor," he introduces, "Your, well, your father, I suppose. And this," he gestures with a sense of grandeur towards his box, "is the TARDIS. It's my time-and-relative-dimensions-in-space-machine."

I clench my jaw at the mention of his name. "_You're_ the Doctor?"

He smiles broadly. "Yes, I am. Nice to meet you, Alyssa."

I begin to advance slowly in his direction, fists ready at my sides. "And you're a Time Lord, yeah?"

He mods vigorously. "Last of, yes. So you've heard of me."

"Oh, I've heard of you all right," I raise my right fist to his face, striking before he realize what was going on. He backed away quickly, dodging my follow-up attack amd rubbing his eye.

"Oi,.what was that for? I'm going to have a big ol' black eye now, not to mention that it hurts like the dickens."

"That," I spit angrily, "is for making me half-alien, and landing me in this lovely prison. Do you have any idea what new types of _torture_ the use now? Oh, right, you wouldn't, because they tested it on ME! Not that they got any information out of me, though, considering Mum never even _told_ me that I'm not human!"

He gazes steadily back at me. "Alyssa, I am so sorry."

I glare back at him. "You better be," I growl.

Mum decides to intervene. "Alyssa, don't blame him, it's my fault for leaving you alone. I never thought that anyone would find you out there."

I shake my head. "No, Mum, it's not your fault. Not unless you were the one whose genes caused me to have TWO HEARTS! 'Cause as far as I know about you, which apparently isn't as much as I previously thought, you're 100% human!"

Mum's normally lively eyes turn ice cold. "Alyssa, if it weren't for your father's TARDIS, we never would've been able to rescue you."

I slap my face, rolling my eyes. "If it weren't for my _father_, I wouldn'tve needed to be rescued in the first place! Because the government doesn't make a habit of imprisoning _humans_. No, they just like to lock up us aliens, isn't that right, _Dad_?"

He shudders slightly. "Could we discuss our family issues aboard the TARDIS?" he pleads, "Being in this cell is bringing back some awful memories..."

I grudgingly follow them back into the police box, which is much, much larger within than it appears to be from outside. I am about to comment on it, but then I see the way The Doctor's face waits expectantly. _He probably loves it when people act all amazed at his spaceship._ Just to spite him, I hide my growing desire to run down the halls and explore, along with any previous wonderment.

He smiles slightly, gesturing around him. "_So_, what do you think of the TARDIS?" he asks with a flourish.

"I'm still cross," I remind him. His face falls slightly at my lack of enthusiasm.

He begins to pull levers, spin knobs, and twist whimsical contraptions surrounding the center console, talking as he goes. "Alyssa, I am truly, very, _extremely_, sorry that you were imprisoned. _However_, now is not the time for acting childish! You see, the lovely people here at Area 51 filled out _loads_ of forms and papers all about you. All of your biological information is now floating around the internet, easy to find for any alien bounty hunters." He pauses, waiting for a reaction from me.

"Why would any "alien bounty hunters" want medical records? They're not that important, are they?" I ask, not really seeing why all of this is that big of a deal.

The Doctor's eyes bulge, and his jaw drops a little. "Not that important? _Not that important_? _You_, Alyssa, are the only half-human, half-Time Lord child _ever_. Being half-Time Lord alone makes you extremely valuable, but add in that human part and WHAM!" he claps his two hands together, "Your DNA is completely and entirely unique and is a very, _very _hot topic of discussion among several races as of the moment, I presume. Which means that you are in more danger than you've ever been in your entire life."

I freeze. Suddenly, the fact that I'm an alien, along with the magnitude of current danger, sets in. "But I'm safe with you, right?" I whisper, pointing to him.

He cocks his head, a fake smile plastered onto his face. "Um, sure, if it makes you feel better, then yes, you are _completely_ safe here in the TARDIS. Nothing could _ever_ get through those dwarf-star-alloy-solid walls, which are in fact wood. Yes, Alyssa, you are _entirely_ safe." His voice darkens considerably. "But you're not, really."


	6. Chapter 5 Regenerations and Revelations

**So, I was watching A Good man Goes to War, and was all psyched about River and all...until I realized that it totally makes me story AU now. The other episodes could've been explained, and I was planning on explaining them to fit my storyline, which is why it's taken so long to update. But now, all of those are completely invalid, so I deleted them. So, so sorry, but I like to remain as close to canon as I can. So, here's my new way to make it canon, sort of. **

**Chapter 5**

(Amy's Point of View, present time)

I stare at my daughter, my Alyssa, whom is _alive_. Alive and within arm's reach. During the few months she's been in Area 51, though, she's changed. The sweet, gentle girl I knew has developed an attitude even worse than my own. It isn't until I see the marks that I feel sympathy. She tilts her head ever so slightly, and takes just a few steps into the light, and I see the angry red marks across her neck and shoulders. Of course, she had said she'd been tortured. But it didn't hit me until I see these scorch marks, physical proof of the pain she suffered while she was locked up.

I rush to pull her in for another hug. She flinches at first, when I touch her. She

never flinched at my touch before. _Just how much has she been through_?

(Doctor's POV, present time)

Amy holds Alyssa tight, giving me a moment to collect my thoughts. _In the tape, she said not to let the Bad Wolf distract me. How does she know about that_? I ponder over it for a moment. _Does she mean Rose's memory or Rose _herself_? Is Rose coming back_? The TARDIS alert lights are blinking furiously, but there is nothing on the scanners to suggest something is particularly wrong. _How odd_. The TARDIS shakes for a moment, and Alyssa stumbles. "So, where do you want to go?" I ask Alyssa, since it is her first trip through time and space.

She looks slightly dazed, and shakes her head as if clearing water from her ears. "Oh, um, I really don't care. Haven't you got like, a 'random' switch-thing?"

Amy snorts. "Sure he does, he uses it every time he steers."

"I'm going to ignore that, Amy," I tell her, hopping about the TARDIS and adjusting anything that called for it, "instead, I'm going to introduce you to my old friend Martha. She's a doctor, I mean a proper medical one, and to be perfectly honest I think Alyssa needs a good medical exam."

Alyssa opens her mouth to protest, but as one of the scars on her arm catches her eye, she appears to think better of it. She's not stupid. Amy just nods quietly, and I know that I've done right in her eyes.

We land relatively smoothly, and I usher Amy and Alyssa outside, thankful that for once the TARDIS brought me where I planned to go. For, on a bench not six feet away sat Martha and Mickey, holding hands and laughing. At the creak of the TARDIS door, both of their heads snap towards us. Martha grins broadly and runs at full speed to greet me, while Mickey follows close behind. I open my arms to hug her, when she runs right past me into the TARDIS, looking around. I turn to watch her, a sad smile now on my face as she faces me for the second time, now realizing the truth. "You..." she breathes, the mournfulness in her voice clear in just one syllable.

I nod and offer a small wave. "Hello, Martha."

"You've changed," she says, voicing the obvious.

"Just a bit, yeah," I agree, then ive my head a small knock. "But I'm still the same man, Martha-different face but the same memories, same experiences, same friends...different taste in foods, though. As my friend Amy can tell you, I can no longer bear apples, beans, bacon, or toast."

"Or yogurt," Amy adds, amused.

I scowl playfully. "Don't get me started! Yogurt's just stuff-with bits in it! What's to like?"

"Oh, but fish fingers and custard is normal?" Alyssa rolls her eyes, drawing Martha and Mickey's attention.

"And who's she?" Mickey asks, an eyebrow raised as he takes in Alyssa's age.

"I'm the bloody daughter he didn't plan on," she introduces irritably, now wincing in pain, "Ooh."

Martha's eyes fill with worry, and she rushes towards Alyssa just in time to catch her as she falls to the floor. "Oh my God, Doctor, she's not breathing!" Martha calls out frantically, going into full medic mode. As she begins CPR, Amy elbows her way through Mickey and I to be next to Alyssa.

"Alyssa, come on, I just got you back!" she whips her head to face me, her wild red tresses flying as her head shakes back and forth and tears roll down her face, "Doctor! What's wrong with her? She's got two hearts, like you! There's got to be some Time Lord-y thing you can do to save her!"

I inwardly cringe at the first thought that comes to mind: _I could help her begin regeneration_. But I really, really, do not want to do that. First, I don't even know if she can. Second, she's too young to be relying on that; I'd do everything in my power to revive her before I resort to that. But as Martha continues to panic over Alyssa's life signs, along with Amy and now Mickey, I know that it may bloody well be the difference between life and death right now. I shove Martha out of the way and place my hand firmly on Alyssa's forehead. I force my way into her mind, where I find a small version of her hiddled in the shadows.

_"Alyssa, do you know what is happening out there?" I ask her softly, not wanting to alarm her prematurely. She nods, frightened, and for the first time I see trust in her eyes. "Doctor, I'm not stupid, I know I'm dying as we speak. They did things to me back at Area 51. They stuck needles with who-knows-what inside of them into me, they inflicted physical as well as mental wounds, they even tried electrocuting me, drowning, and poison. I thought the poison didn't have any effect on me. As you can obviously tell, it did."_

I am pulled outside of Alyssa's mind by Amy's hand on my shoulder. "Let me do what I have to!" I shout at her, delving back through Alyssa's mental barriers.

_I reappear beside Alyssa, the tiny shreds of light surrounding us quickly fading. "Alyssa, you have to begin regeneration. It's your only hope at this point." She inhales deeply, fully aware of her state. "I don't know if I can, Doctor. I'm half-human." I take her hands in mine, and look her in the eyes. "You're also half-Time Lord. You have two hearts and a respiratory bypass system. Your DNA is all but identical to mine. You can do it!"She squeezes her eyes shut, and golden light begins to illuminate her mind. I smile, give her hands one final reassuring squeeze, and back out._

I re-enter reality, Amy screaming, Martha working frantically, and Mickey trying his best to help. Alyssa's hands begin to shimmer, and I pull the three humans back. Amy fights ferociously against me, actually punching me in the gut multiple times. "Amy, she's going to be fine! But you all have to STAY AWAY!" I shout as Alyssa explodes into beams of shimmering regeneration energy. Martha gasps, Mickey hold her tightly against him, and Amy continues to fight me. The light begins to drift away like mist, and Amy finally breaks from my hold to be with her daughter. _Our daughter_, I correct myself. I can't see Alyssa from where I stand, so I move next to Amy, who is knelt down and cradling Alyssa in her arms. Alyssa lays limply, but I now have a view of her face. It's the same. Same pale skin, same fiery red hair; the only difference is that her scars have disappeared, healed with the regeneration. She begins to stir, and her eyes flutter open. The first thing she says is, "I'm not dead. That's good." A weak smile forms on her lips, and her green eyes sparkle with a lightheartedness I have never seen before. The process not only healed her wounds, but also her mind.

Amy pulls Alyssa closer to her, letting her tears flow freely as she embraces her thin frame. "Mom, I'm fine," Alyssa reassures her, in a manner so like my own I can tell she is my own. I give in to my emotions for a moment, wrapping both of my girls in a wide hug. _Isn't this how it _should_ be?_

"Is she?" Amy asks me, afraid to get her hopes up only for them to be crushed. I run a quick scan on the TARDIS controls, but I am deeply worried by the results. Amy tries to look over my shoulder, but the readings are in my own language, something she could never dream of being able to understand. I force a grin and tell her, "Yes! She's perfectly, amazingly okay! Nothing wrong with her anymore, that's all settled."

Martha and Mickey wait awkwardly, eyes averted to the floor or ceiling. "Um, Doctor, maybe we should leave you all for a while. I imagine you want some family time...alone." Martha says, as they offer me one final hug before leaving. Martha waves to Amy and Alyssa, and they are gone, closing the door behind them.

Amy yawns heavily, and Alyssa convinces her to go off to her room and get some much-needed rest. I turn around and begin tinkering with the TARDIS. "Doctor?" I spin around, caught off gaurd.

"Yes?"

She rubs her shoulder absent-mindedly, and pauses a moment before continuing. "I'm not okay. And you know it."

Her words hit me harder than a fleet of Dalek battleships. "Do you know what's happening?" I ask weakly.

She nods. "Yeah. I'm dying again. This time it's from heart problems, I think."

"Alyssa, normally I wouldn't tell you why this is going on, but because it directly affects your life-or lives-and because you're half-Time Lord, so you're probably figuring it out as we speak anyway, I will. You see, based on the readings from the TARDIS, you're n-"

"Not supposed to exist," she finishes gravely. "I know. And because I shouldn't be here, the universe keeps trying to kill me off."

"Yes," is all I can say.

Her eyes begin to fill with tears. "But it'l take awhile, because I'll keep regenerating. That is, until..." she stares off down the hall where Amy is sleeping soundly.

"Until it can find a way to stop you from regenerating?" I suggest. She heaves a sigh and agrees quietly.

"Yeah. Until then."

She looks me straight in the eyes and trembles. "Doctor? How do you live knowing you're going to die?"


	7. Chapter 6 As if You'll Remember Me

**In the last chapter:**

**"Doctor, how do you live knowing you're going to die?"**

**Chapter 6**

(Doctor's POV, present time)

Alyssa stares at me expcetantly, waiting for an answer. I swallow, and clear my throat. "Well, Alyssa, everyone knows that they can't live forever."

She looks down at her feet. "Yeah, I suppose so. But 'everyone' doesn't have the universe trying to end your life. Plus, I'm only fourteen."

_How does one who has lived for over a thousand years console someone who will die so young?_ "Alyssa, I will do everything in my power to save you."

She looks at me suddenly, the intenisty in her eyes almost terrifying. "Don't. You. Dare. As much as I enjoy living, I'm not worth tearing a hole in reality for. And don't try to tell me differently; I know that if I'm not meant to be here, there's nothing you or anyone else can do to keep me here," she yawns and heads down the hallway to her room. "Well, best be getting a good night's sleep, seeing as I won't get many more, eh?"

And I am left alone.

(Alyssa's POV, present time)

I close my eyes, and awake in a dream. I sit for a moment in the dream-world I've created, and enjoy the sunlight, the flowers, the rolling waves before me. _I'm going to die_, I think, _and there's nothing anyone or anything in the whole of the universe can do about it. _This world is so perfect, so beautiful: so in contrast to my reality. Then everything begins to burn and melt away, and is replaced by something which resembles the actual world so much more closely. I am now standing in the TARDIS control room, and I can see the Doctor, Mum, and a brown-haired man whom I've never met before. I can't hear them, but I see their mouths moving. As I make my way around the console, I realize that there is another woman with them whose face had been blocked by the heart of the TARDIS. Blonde curls bouncing and eyes sparkling, she is obviously at ease with her company.

"This is what's supposed to be happening, right now."

I spin around and face a blonde woman with glowing brown eyes. "Who're you?" I ask.

"I am the Bad Wolf," she informs me, then nods towards the people on the other side of the TARDIS, "They are Rory Williams and River Song. Rory is your mother's husband. River is their daughter."

I take another look and realize that yes, there are faint similarities, but she is also older than them by at least ten years. I turn again to the Bad Wolf, and she explains further. "River is traveling backwards in her personal time line. She is the daughter Amy was meant to be carrying. Her father is Rory."

I realize what her words imply. "Instead of me, yeah?"

The Bad Wolf nods. "This is why you cannot be. Why the universe is ridding itself of you. This woman is too important, she must exist."

We both watch in silence for a moment. As much as I want to rebel against all of the world for trying to kill me, the Time Lord half of me knows that what must be, must be. I take a deep breath and ask the woman, "How many times do I have to die?"

She gives a sympathetic hug and informs me softly, "You know very well I can't tell you."

"Can't you just let me know how long I have? So I can say goodbye and all?"

She shakes her head. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, but I have to leave now." And she is gone.

I observe the scene before me for the rest of the night, watching silently as my mother interacts with her daughter. She's sort of like my sister, if you squint and turn your head sideways. Only she doesn't exist now because I do.

"ALYSSA!" I jolt awake, and stare directly into the panicked eyes of my Mum. As I fully break out of my sleep, I realize why she is so scared. All of my life, I never noticed that second heart. I suppose now that is is because it was just natural to me, like having two eyes, or ten toes. But now, I am painfully aware of the number of beating hearts within my body. Because only one is working.

The Doctor just stands solemnly to the side. He knows that there's nothing he can do, and I can tell by looking in his old green eyes that it's killing him just like it's literally killing me.

I focus my energy and begin my second regeneration in less than 24 hours.

(Amy's POV, twenty minutes ago to present time)

I awake to the sound of heavy breathing and gasping. I bolt next door to Alyssa's room, where she lies on the floor, appearing to be having a nightmare and fallen out of bed. I lift her back into her bed, and am pulling the sheets over her when I realize that this is no nightmare; one of her hearts is stopped and the other is barely thumping.

"DOCTOR!" I scream, "DOCTOR! Help, it's Alyssa! Doctor!"

He is by my side in less than a minute, expertly checking Alyssa's vital signs. The look on his face as he does so terrifies me. It's the same look that's on his face when he already knows what's going on, but's been keeping it from me to 'protect' me. I've seen it a thousand times, but I've never been more afraid of that face than I am right now. "Doctor, what's going on?"

He pauses a moment, unsure if he should tell me, I'm sure. "Amy..."

I grab him by his shoulders violently, and shake him. "Don't you go around thinking that my daughter isn't my business. Tell. Me. What. Is. Happening."

He pulls me away from Alyssa and pins me against the wall. "Amy, you have to trust me. She is suffering from heart failure. There is nothing I can do at this point, it's to late. She will go into regeneration again."

I push him out of the way and take hold of Alyssa. "Alyssa!" I shout, jostling her unconscious form. She looks around, confused, and locks eyes with the Doctor. With a small nod, she clenches her teeth, and golden light emanate from her body. Again. I move back, tears impairing my vision and judgement, and the Doctor places comforting hands on my shoulders. "Doctor, she's not okay, is she?" I ask quietly. His downturned mouth, sad eyes and monotone voice tell me the truth as he lies, "Of course, she's fine."

(The Doctor's POV, present)

Alyssa slipped into a coma immediately following her regeneration. Amy and I remain by her side, watching vigilantly. It isn't for another three hours that Alyssa's eyelids begin to flutter. She doesn't speak a word, simply looking at the two of us silently. "How long was I out?" she asked quietly.

"Three hours," I inform her calmly.

Amy's mascara has at this point covered her cheeks in black streaks. "Doctor, Alyssa, if one of you isn't going to tell me the truth, I swear I will..." her unmade threat hangs in the air, and she grabs both Alyssa and I in a fierce embrace.

"We can't, Amy. I am so, so sorry, but we just can't."

Alyssa takes advantage of our close position and whispers into my ear, "I saw a woman while I was out, her name was the Bad Wolf. She showed me why I'm not supposed to exist."

_The Bad Wolf_. So that's what Alyssa meant in her video message that she has yet to record. _Don't let the Bad Wolf distract you._ And it hits me. Why I never went looking for Amy sooner. Why, even when I had her back, I never gave her as much as she gave me. And, most importantly, why Amy and I were never meant to have a child. Because, to be perfectly honest, I _am_ distracted by Rose. All the time. Because of this, I never gave Amy all my love, as I should have.

We break apart, and I land the TARDIS quickly. I don't tell Amy where we are, only that it's someplace quiet and safe for Alyssa to recover. Amy and I bring Alyssa outside for a breath of fresh air, each supporting one side. It takes Amy a moment to realize where we are. The TARDIS sits only two feet away from where it landed so many years ago, this time just missing the shed. It is nighttime, and the yard looks very much the same as it did that night.

Amy glares at me, fire in her eyes. "You. Brought. Us. To. Leadworth." she growled, and I knew why she was angry. If-no, _when_, in a town this small-she ran into Rory, there would be much explaining and apologizing to do.

I hold her gaze steadily. "Yes, I did. If I am correct, you own this house, and we can spend the night?"

She frowns, but leads us inside, unlocking the door with a key tucked under a flower pot. While Amy goes upstairs to prepare rooms, Alyssa and I make tea in the kitchen. As she sets the kettle down on the stove, Alyssa speaks. "I meant to tell you more, before, but we didn't have time. The reason I'm not supposed to be here is because Mum and Rory were meant to have a daughter, River Song. And she is too important not to exist."

"What, and you're not important?" I question her.

She turns away from the stove and folds her arms across her chest. "Name five things I've done in my fourteen years that the universe couldn't continue without."

I open my mouth to answer, and realize I have none to give. "Alyssa..."

The kettle whistles, and she lifts it off the flame, pouring us each a cup as she answers. "Don't worry. You'll love her, River. Literally. And she'll do so much. Good _and_ bad, mind you, but definitely a lot of good."

"I could never love her knowing you had to die for her to live." I insist.

She gives me a patronising smile and a small shake of her head. "As if you'll remember me when I'm erased from existance."


	8. Chapter 7 Capture

Chapter 7

(The Doctor's POV, present)

We sit quietly, making small talk to fill the emptiness that has fallen. Because I know she is probably right. Amy comes down the stairs, and orders Alyssa to bed in Amy's old room. Once Alyssa is upstairs, Amy motions for me to follow her. We walk together to the end of the hallway, and pause for a moment. "This is where you told me to count the rooms," she says softly, nostalgia in her voice and eyes, "Back then I never could've dreamed this is where we'd end up again, after all these years."

"I never would've thought that the next girl to sleep in that bed would be our daughter," I agree. _How do I tell her that her daughter is dying?_

She smiles at me, and wraps her arms around my shoulders. "Our daughter. I love it when you say that."

"Amy..." I begin, but I am interrupted by the sharp tingling of shattering glass. Amy's eyes widen, and we sprint to her old bedroom. Alyssa is bound and gagged, and being dragged out through the broken window. Amy and I grab hold of Alyssa's legs and fight to pull her back. A light flashes, and I catch a brief glance of the kidnapper: a Sontaran, dressed entirely in black and with a deadly-looking gun attached to his hip. As if all guns don't look deadly.

After one final tug, the Sontaran, whom already had the advantage, rips Alyssa from our grasp, and is lifted into a ship hovering above by a harness. Amy attempts to follow him out the window, screaming and crying, but I hold her back, as we are on the second floor and the drop would be hardly helpful at the moment. Instead, I whip out my sonic and aim it at the harness which is lifting the Sontaran anf Alyssa the last few feet into the open hatch. It locks, but several pairs of hands reach down and hoist them inside. The door swings shut and they speed up into the sky so fast I almost missed it.

Amy collapses into a hysterical heap on the floor, and I feel so helpless and ashamed I almost want to join her. But I'm not entirely helpless, because there's still something I can do. I rush to the TARDIS, leaving Amy where she is. I hastily search the scanners for the ship, desperate to locate them before they are too far away. Then I see it. Just a miniscule blip, bordering on the edge of one scanner's view, but it's there. I latch onto the signal and lock the TARDIS onto their flight path.

Finally feeling my countless sleepless nights, I lean against the wall, running my fingers through my hair. In my head, I hear Alyssa's words from the tape: _I don't want you to rescue me this time. It would alter several important events in time, so please, don't even try. _ No doubt this is where her captors will bring her. The Daleks have more than an abundance of weapons to trade to the Sontarans in exchange for my daughter. I have to save her. It goes against everything that I've ever stood for, but by now, I've broken so many rules and precedents that it doesn't even matter anymore. I catch up to the ship which is moving hundreds of miles per hour, and thrust open the TARDIS door. Clipping a rope from the TARDIS' interior to my suspenders, I stand in the doorway just beside a window in the other ship. Breaking that window would mean releasing the pressurized air within, killing everyone inside. Including Alyssa. _Think, think….._ I reach into my pocket, looking for a tool I knew was _somewhere_ in there, and found myself holding a scrap of paper with "_**Alyssa**_" scrawled across it. And suddenly I realized why I had to let her go.


	9. Chapter 8 This is the End

Chapter 8

Alyssa's POV, 10 years in the future

_May 24, 2021_

_ In hindsight, being imprisoned in America wasn't so bad. Nothing, really. Back when I was younger, when I hadn't used any of my lives yet, when I thought that the worst was over when my mum and dad rescued me. _

_ Ha. Ha, ha, ha. How silly my behavior then seems to me now. I'm 24 now, it's been quite a few years since I sent that video back in time to my parents. I acted a bit naïve in that recording, not sure whether my mum knew about regeneration yet. I hadn't planned on being caught and shot by my captors the moment before the video was supposed to end. I can only hope it sent before my death was captured on film for them to watch, to mourn over. But by now, the Doctor knows about me. He knows that I'm not meant to be here, that the universe is trying to kill me off in every way possible. Poison, heart failure, electrocution by Sontarans, and a few days ago the Daleks discovered how to harness my regeneration energy. In other words, they've found yet another good reason to kill me. I've lost count of how many times they've killed me. I don't know how many lives I'll get, but I can tell I'm getting weaker every time. The universe wants me gone. Being dead isn't good enough, I have to never have existed. _

_ June 17, 2021_

_ I died again today. The Daleks shot me this time. But something went wrong. I overheard them, and they said they're almost done with me. At this point, I don't even care what they do with me, I just want it to end, soon. All this waiting is what's killing me within. Dad, Mum, if you ever find these voice recordings, I hope you know I love you, even if soon everything will be erased. But who knows, sometimes little shadows can be left behind….._

_ July 9, 2021_

_ This is it. The Daleks are planning to kill me off for good tomorrow. Any regrets? Loads. I hope my parents know I love them, and that I am truly so, so, sorry. And maybe, somehow, we'll meet again. Goodbye…._

I press the "end" button on the tiny voice recorder. It's the only item my captors allow me, and I'm sure they'll listen to every word once I'm dead. But I don't care what they hear, it's a small comfort to me, and I take solace in using it.

Sighing, I stare at the blank walls all around me. I only have a few hours left to live, to exist. What do I do?

"Alyssa." I am startled by the sound of a faintly familiar voice. Tilting my head, I can see the Bad Wolf standing in the corner of my cell.

"Come to say goodbye?" I offer a small, sad smile. She shakes her head.

"No. I wanted to tell you that there is another chance for you."

I raise my eyebrows. "I have hours to live. Tell me more." She sighs.

"You are to be erased from existence when you die. But I can find a place for you, if you wish. The choice is yours."

I pause. "Only if I get to meet my Mum and Dad again, one m ore time."

She frowns. "You won't retain any of your memories. They won't know who you are."

"No," I insist, "we'll know."

She nods slowly in agreement, and disappears. I wait out the last few hours, trying with all my power to send out a psychic message to my father.


	10. Chapter 9 Never Let Go

**Sooooo sorry this took so long, but I just started a REALLY hard high school, and things have been CRAZY. So as my gift to you, I uploaded the final three chapters all at once. Yup, this is the END. I'm really going to miss this story, but *maybe* a sequel may happen (if you guys request one!). Thank you all! (Oh, and I OWN NOTHING)**

Chapter 9

River Song held so many secrets within her. But today, walking through Chiswick in the rain, she only thought about one. Donna Temple-Noble, whose name, from Latin to English, roughly translated into Lady Time Lord. Whose fiery hair never fit in with her mother's blonde or her father's brown. Who was always so close, so comfortable with the Doctor, while still remaining the only female companion not to fall in love with him. So many little, tiny things about her which could easily be overlooked.

As she spotted the redhead fumbling with her keys and a bag of groceries, River dashed up the steps and offered her a hand. Smiling with gratitude, the woman who hadn't yet met the Doctor thanked River and disappeared into her home.

"Wait!" River called, pulling an old, worn piece of paper out of her pocket. Handing the note to Donna, she smiled and said, "Would you mind giving this to a friend of mine, when you see him? His name's the Doctor, you'll understand some day…"

River strutted away, leaving Donna staring at the note curiously. Just a single word, a name, in fact.

_**Alyssa**_

Because when somebody is that special, the universe never quite lets go.


End file.
